Cable clip



Oct. 14, 1924. 1,511,972

E. O. KEATOR CABLE CLIP Filed Nov. 20. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet l 5y Maw: CWZUSQSTZL Oct. 14!

E. O. KEATOR CABLE CLIP Filed Nov. 20. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

. MW A; mmm

designed.

Patented Oct. 14, 1924.

UNITED STATES EDWARD 0. KEATOR, OF DAYTON, OHIO.

CABLE CLIP.

Application filed November 20,1928. Serial No. 875,800.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD O. KEATOR, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Dayton, 3n the county of Montgomery and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cable Clips, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

This invent on relates to an improvement in cable clips of the usual type as well as the type disclosed in my United States Letters Patent Nos. 1,233,366, 1,283,792 and 1.283,7 93. I have found that by simple, but very effective changes in certain details of the clips disclosed in these patents, radically different results are produced and the objects herein ,set forth are eas ly attained.

One of the objects of my invention is to produce a cable clip construction which will create a maximum of gripping action upon a cable of the given size for which the clip is A further object is to produce a cable clip which, for the cable it is designed to grip, is of minimum size consistent with the strength of the material of which it is constructed.

A further object is to produce a cable clip of I improved construction, which, while gripping the cable with a maximum of gripping action, will act positively to prevent slippage and damage to the strands of the cable, regardless of the tension and crush-- ing pressure placed upon These and other objects are attained in the cable clip described in the following specification and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a cable clip embodying my invention and showing in section cables mounted thereinv Fig. 2 is a front elevational View of the clip shown in Fig. 1, but m nus the cables disclosed in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 33' of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a front elevational view of a cable clip showing a s mplified form of construction embodying my invention.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of clip shown in Fig. 6, showing cables mounted in position therein.

Fig. 6 is a front elevational view of the cable clip embodying the modified form of my invention shown in Fig. 5, the cables having been removed.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a detail of the clip shown in Fig. 8.

Fig. 8 is a front elevational view of a still further modified form of cable clip embodymg my invention.

Fig. 9 is a transverse sectonal view taken on the line 99 of Fig. 10.

Fig. 10 is a front elevational view of a cable clip embodying a modification of my invention adapting it to cables of either right or left lay.

In the cable clip constructions which I have shown herein, the principles of operation involved lie in the wedging and ut1lization of the surfaces of the strands of wires which go to make up the cable, to an extent not contemplated in the ordinary cable clip or in the clips disclosed in the patents to which I have referred. In the usual and in the patented constructions the cable surfaces which are utilized for gripping surfaces, are

those which lie on the outside of the tightly v twisted contacting strands of wires. In the constructions dsclosed herein one of the novel principles involved consists briefly in securing an increased gripping surface by interposing obstructions between the strands of a cable, such obstructions taking the shape of the twist of the cable strands so that they act as a positive abutment against slippage in the direction of the cable axis. Another one of the novel principles involved consists in securing the separation of the strands in order to obtain additional surface upon each strand by extending the cable gripp ng elements of the clip to the interior of the cable. This is bad in a novel manner by wedging the strands apart and utilizing simultaneously therewith the increased gripping effect created by the wedging act on itself. In other instances I contemplate wedging the whole cable between the tapering walls of a wedge shaped groove.

In Figs. 1, 2 and 3 a simple form of clip embodying my invention is shown. This clip consists of a body 10. a U bolt 11, and nuts 12. The body has a pair of bolt guiding wings 13 and 14 on each side of a centrally located cable receiving groove 15 which extends between the pair of wings. At the bottom of outer walls of grooves 16 and 18 taper more abruptly than the side walls of the large groove, a'ndtheir inner walls as well as both walls of the groove 17 taper to the same ex: tent. Each strand receiving groove extends parallel to the other strand receiving grooves, but the general direction of the grooves 16, 17 and 18 is changed from that of the large groove 15. The large grooveextends through the clip body in the direction taken by the cables located in the clip while the small grooves extend askew of the large groove and coincide identically with the twist or lay given the strands of wires, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The wedges 19 and 20 which lie between the grooves 16, 17 and 18, are so shaped and designed as to lie around or force themselves between the normally contacting strands, thus forming abutments to prevent cable slippage and separating and contacting a greater amount of each strand surface than would be engaged if the cable were left in its normal condition. This in itself affords a greater gripping surface. but, because of the depth and angle of the sides of the grooves, a wedge like elfect is produced in the grooves, in addition to the greater amount of surface rendered available by the entrance of the wedges 19 and 20 between the strands.

The operation of my improved clip as dis closed in Figs. 1,2 and 3, after the cables have been placed in the groove 15. with the strands occupying the grooves 16. 17 and 18.

' is as follows. \Vhen the U bolt is tightened by means of the nuts 12. the cables are pressed downwardly and the strands of the lower cable are forced apart by the wedges 19 and 20 as shown in Fig. 1. In addition to this, the tightening of the U bolt forces the strands into the grooves 16. 17 and 18, thus wedging the wires of each strand that occupies one of the grooves; Further wedging action is had upon each cable by reason of the tapering character of the large groove 15, which. when the U bolt presses the cables toward the bottom of the groove, causes. simultaneously. an increased pressure upon the sides of the cables. The effect of all these phases of the operation of my improved clip is to create a maximum .wedging and gripping action which is accomplished in a distinctly novel manner which requires relatively light pressure to be brought to bear.

upon the cables in comparison with that required in theuse of the usual rope or cable clip, and which. because of this, thereby necessitates much less stress being brought to bear upon the bolt and body of the clip.

forms of my invention, of which I can conceive. It is substantially the duplicate of the form shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, but does not embody the smaller grooves 16, 17 and 18 with the wedges 19 and 20 between them. A

simple form of clip body 10 is employethin which the groove 15 between the wedge wings l3? and 14 is the only means embodied for obtaining the cable wedging actio'n. This tapering groove causes the cable to be crowded and wedged therein when the bolt 11 is tightened by means of its nuts 12. Thus do I obtain an improved cable gripping and holding action even with this greatly simplified embodiment of my invention.

In Figs. 5 and GI have shown a clip in which the same general principles of wedge action and separation of the cable strands are employed. However the clip has been changed in certain details which I will now describe. The body 21 of the clip is designed to receive the U bolt 22 between the pairs of wings 23 and 24 provided on the body. in substantially the same manner that the clip of the previously described construction was designed. However. the sides of the large groove 25 of this modified construction are made more nearly parallel instead of taperin'g as in the previously described construction. This is for the purpose of forming a guide for a cam 26 which is rotatively mounted on the bolt and which operates in the groove between the guiding sides thereof. The bottom of groove 25 as well as the under face of cam 26 are formed with the wedges and wedge shaped grooves between them. which characterize the bottom of the groove 15 of the previously described except that the upper face of the cam contacts the upper face of the top cable which 1 is located in the clip. as shown in Fig.5, the bolt not touching the cables at any point. The cooperating wedge and wedge groove faces of the groove, 25 and cam 26ofthis modification. operate. when the nuts 27 are tightened. to draw the bolt into the body and to tighten the cam upon the upper surface of the upper cable. thereby pressing its wedges 28 between the strands of the upper cable and forcing the strands into the wedge grooves 29 of the cam. This pressure also forces the lower cable downwardly and causes the wedges 30 at the bottom of the groove to enter between the strands which will also becaused to enter between the wedge grooves 31 of the body. Thus both the top and bottom cables of this construction are operated upon in accordance with the provisions of my inventionas herein described. In Fig. 4 I have shown one of the simplest The construction I have shown in Figs. 7 and 8 has carried the wedge and wedge groove principle of my invention considerably further than that disclosed in the previously described constructions. In all respects except in the addition of a cablespacing block 32, the clip disclosed in these views, is

- the bottom cable. This is accomplished by the formation on the upper and under faces of block 32 of a series of wedges 33 and wedge grooves 34 which cooperate with the wedges 35 and wedge grooves 36 of the body 37 and cam 38 in a manner such that the strands of the upper and bottom cables are separated and wedged on both the upper and under faces of each cable when the. bolt 39 is tightened by means of its nuts 40. Thus additionally increased gripping capacity is given a clip of no larger dimensions than'those I' have already described, which again resultsin a construction in which the stresses upon the parts of the clip, necessary to prevent slippage of the cables relatively to each other, are again reduced over either of the previously described constructions.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a modification of the wedge-rand wedge groove rinciple, which is applicable to any form 0 clip in the same manner as the form I have shown in connection with the examples I have above described. This modification of the novel principle I have set forth herein, consists in forming the wedges and wedge ooves so thatthey extend in two directions 1n each of clip members which are provided with them, instead of in but one direction as inthe cli s I have described above. In Figs. 1 to 7 inclusive the wedges and wedge grooves are made for use with the'standard right lay rope or cable. Occasionally it may be necessary to use a cable of left lay. In that case the clip which is designed for right lay rope or cable could not properly .be' used: For this reason I have provided the cross groove and wedge construction disclosed in Figs. 8 and 9. The left lay grooves 41 cross the right lay grooves 42 so as to produce wedges 43 of pyramidal shape between them, the grooves being formed of the same wedge-like cross sectional shape as in the single lay construction I have described. Thus either right or left lay cable may be used in such a cross wedge and groove construction. Incidentally with the adaptability of the cross wedge and groove construction to rope or cable of either lay, the broken character of the grooves and wedges operates advantageously to create a still greater 1 gripping capacity for each clip equipped with such a construction. This is brought about by the pyramidal shape of the wedges which operate to separate the strands at spaced intervals instead of along lines as in the constructions which I have described. Also the groove wed ing efiect takes place at intervals instea of along lines as. previous] described. Thus the unctlons erforme by this construction are three old as compared with the unbroken wedge groove and wedge constructions I have described.

In the constructions I have shown herein, I have endeavored, with the preceding description, to convey by means of the examples I have set forth, some idea of the scope of the novel principle underlying my invention, and by this means to demonstrate its application to rope or cable clips of all types and sizes.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. A cable clip comprising a body and a cable clamping element in cooperation therewith, one of said elements having a cable receiving surface containing a groove adapted to receive one of the strands of a cable, and a wedgelocated adjacent to the groove with a side of each forming a side of the other, said wedge bein adapted to enter between and to force a jacent strands of a cable apart when the clamping element is operated, said groove being adapted to receive one of the strands thus separated.

2. A cable cli comprising a body and a cooperating ca le clamping element, one of-said elements havin a cable receivin surface containing a pair of wedges whic are spaced apart by a groove located between them, said wedges being adapted to engage opposite sides of a strand of a cable and to enter between it and its adjacent contacting strands to force the strands apart when the clamping element is operated, said groove being adapted to receive the strand thus separated fromits adjacent strands. v

3. A cable clip comprising a body and a cooperating cable clamping element, one ofsaid elementshaving a cable receiving surface containing wedges which are separated by wedge-shaped grooves, said wedges being adapted to engage oppositesides of the strands of a cable and'to enter between. them to force them apart when the clamping element is operated, said grooves being adapted to receive the separated strands and to wedge them therein when the clamping element is operated.

4. A cable clipcomprising a body having a cable receiving groove therein, a series of wedges formed at the bottomof the groove and having a series of wedge-shaped grooves in alternately spaced relation therewith, and clamping means on the body adapted to force a cable located in the groove thereof into engagement with the wedges, whereby a cable receiving groove, said groove having. a

a series of wedges and wedge grooves therein, a cam in the receiving groove of the body, said cam having a series of wedges and wedge grooves therein, and means adapted to move the cam within the groove to bring the grooves and wedges thereof into cooperative engagement with the cables located in the receiving groove of the body, and to force the cables into cooperative engagement with the wedge grooves and the wedges of the body, whereby the strands of the cables will be separated by the wedges of the body and cam and forced to enter the wedge grooves of the body and cam.

6. A cable clip comprising a body having a cable receiving groove, said groove having a series of wedges and wedge grooves therein, a. cam in the receiving groove of the in the groove between the wedges and grooves of the cam and the Wedgesand grooves of the body, said block having wedges and wedge grooves on op osite sides ad acent to the we ges and we ge grooves of the cam and body, and means adapted to clamp the body, cam and block upon a cable located between the cam and block and be tween the block and bod whereby the strands of the cables will e separated by the wedges of the body, cam and block and be forcedto enter the wedge grooves thereof. 0 In testlmony whereof I hereunto affix my signature.

EDWARD O. KEATOR. 

